Becoming a Legend by B. Kristin McMichael Read Free Book Online Page A

fine now. I hope you have a good day. I’ll see you when you return home. Oh yeah, and happy birthday again, Princess.’ And with that, Andrew was gone. He really had traveled hundreds of miles just to see if she was okay.
    Arianna really needed help sorting out everything with the boys around her. Yes, she had kissed Devin, Turner, and Andrew. Yes, she loved all three of them, each in a different way. Yes, none of them asked her to choose between them, but it was still hanging there in the distance. Aunt Lilly had told Arianna to picture it as if she were just dating all three like any teen should be doing, but Arianna still had a hard time with that. They all were solely devoted to her, and she was split between them. She knew deep down that she needed to make a choice and make it soon. Thankfully, Thomas never had romantic interests in her. In fact, he was becoming more the older brother figure she always wished she had.
    The clinking of heels and hushed conversations about her birthday told her immediately that she had slept through at least a couple days. Unfortunately, Andrew was right as always. Arianna listened around the familiar surroundings of Turner’s childhood home. Everything Turner had told her in the past year, along with their visits, made the trip familiar. The bed creaked slightly as she stood.
    “ Happy birthday,” Devin said from the sitting room behind the closed door. She would hear him even if he only whispered his greeting. Like Andrew, Devin seemed to know her better than she knew herself. Devin was back to his normal self. Even if they had been arguing just yesterday, none of that showed from him.
    As if on cue, Arianna heard the door to the hallway open and Turner c ame into the room.
    “ Is she up?” he asked. There was more than happiness behind his voice. It was tinged with worry.
    “ Yes, I’m up,” she replied. “Just let me get dressed first.”
    Turner waited by pacing around the room holding a small box in his hands. Arianna laughed as Devin began to get irritated. Only Turner could get him to show some emotion, but Turner had that effect on everyone. Arianna stepped out into the room soundlessly as Turner continued to pace. Something was bothering him. Devin looked up from his usual stack of papers and nodded, but Turner still didn’t notice the addition to the room. Arianna crept silently to sit next to Devin. Now Turner was standing at the window, looking outside and pulling at the bow of the box in his hand.
    “ Well, if you don’t want to take her out for the day, I can take her out then,” Devin offered, finally getting Turner’s attention.
    Turner snapped around , ready to pounce on Devin when he noticed Arianna sitting there.
    “ I win,” she added as she jumped up and playfully teased him.
    “ I was distracted,” Turner replied. Relief poured off him at the sight of her.
    “ What does the judge rule?” Arianna asked of Devin, who was already back to his papers.
    “ He’s a biased judge,” Turner complained. “He loves you and hates me.”
    “ All the better to use.”
    “ Only if he was biased to me.” Turner sulked. He wasn’t a good loser. He handed the present over to Arianna, but Devin shooed them out of the room instead of waiting for her to open it.
    “ The birthday girl is always right,” Devin added, not looking up. “Now get out of here. I’ve tons of work to do. I swear Seeger is just doing all this to keep me busy.” Arianna and Turner headed to the door before Devin spoke again. “And tell Andrew to quit lurking. We know he follows you, and we always know he’s there. If he wants to check on you, he can just ask, or come here in person. He’s much more suspicious loitering at the edge of town.”
    * * * * *
    Turner ushered her away from Devin and to his favorite spot on the edge of town. It was an old, isolated trail that no one visited except for Turner. Arianna was glad to be outside, and away from all the staring people, and she